Emergency railroad-signal



0. R. SULLIVAN. EMERGENCY RAILROAD SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, I9-

1 $307,523. g I Patented June 24, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT onruon.

I IDENIS R. SULLIVAN, OF LONGVILLE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OI ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH R. GRACE, OF LONGVILLE, LOUISIANA.

EMERGENCY RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed May 16, 1917. Serial No. 168,968.

State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency fiailroadsignals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art-to which it appertains to make and use the' same.

The invention relates to an emergency railway signal.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of railway signals and to brovide an emergency railway signal of simple, practical and inexpensive construction designed for the use of a train when the same stops en route to avoid sending a brakeman or flagman to the rear and to eliminate the danger of such practice when there i insuflicient time for a brakeman or flagman to proceed far enough to stop a train'following at a high rate of speed and capable of placing a torpedo beneath the following train or in position to be run over and exploded by the same, whereby the train will have ample opportunity to be brought to a stop.

A further object of the invention is to provide an emergency railway signal of this character which will be adapted to carry a torpedo along the rail and be capable of traveling up a grade and around a curve with great rapidity and without danger of leaving the rail so that a torpedo may be placed in a few seconds on the track the desired distance in the rear of a train to afford a second train, traveling at a high rate of speed, to be easily brought to a standstill before reaching the train sending the signal.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claim hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claim, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawmg: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an emergency railway signal constructed in accordance with this invention and shown arranged on a rail.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the emergency railway signal.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, the rocket or actuating device being omitted.

Fig. 4c is a front elevation of the emergency railway signal, the rocket being in position.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the railroad signal comprises in its construction a carriage 1 constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material and composed of a front supporting platform 2, side flanges 3, a rear transverse connecting portion l and front and rear supports 5 and 6. The carriage may be constructed of a single piece of sheet metal stamped or otherwise formed, and the supports 5 and 6, which extend upwardly from the front and rear top portions 2 and 4, consist of portions of the sheet metal cut from the plate or blank, the carriage being preferably open between the front and rear supports 5 and 6 and the side flanges, but it may be constructed in any other desired manner. The side flanges depend from the top of the carriage and are adapted to be arranged at opposite sides of the head 7 of a rail 8, and the device will of course be constructed to fit the standard sizes of rails. The supports 5 and 6 are provided with central openings 9 for the reception of a rocket body 10 and the metal cut from the supports to form the openings 9 is preferably bent rearwardly and cut to provide annular series of spurs or prongs 11 for engaging the body of the rocket or actuating device, whieby the latter will be securely clamped and held to the carriage and will be caused to actuate the carriage and force the same to travel along the rail at a relatively high rate of speed varying with the size of the rocket body.

The actuating device 10 is preferably con structed like an ordinary rocket without the exploding means and the tapered front end 12 is adapted to reduce the air resistance. The rocket is provided at the rear end with a water-proof fuse 18 having a cap 14: provided with suitable means for enabling it to be exploded with a comparatively light blow for igniting the fuse. The cap is designed to be struck with a knife or any other relatively light object for exploding it, and the fuse is designed to be a quick fuse for causing an immediate lighting of the rocket so that the carriage will be driven along the track almost instantly at a high rate of speed.

The front supporting portion or platform 2 is preferably tapered, as shown, and it is adapted to support a torpedo 15 of the ordinary construction. The torpedo 15 is held on the platform in advance of the front support 5 by means of a metallic strap 16, consisting of a strip of sheet metal secured by solder or other suitable means to the platform 2 at opposite sides thereof and bent upwardly to form an opening to receive the torpedo and preferably secured to the same at the center thereof by a drop of solderor other suitable means. This will effectually prevent the torpedo from becoming accidentally displaced from the front platform or supporting portion ofthe carriage.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for It has been found by actual experience that the device will travel at a high rate of speed and Will ascend grades and around curves without leaving the track, and a rocket or actuating device, of sufficient power to drive the carriage and send the torpedo back the desired distance, may be employed without danger of the device jumping the rail.

WVhat is claimed is: v

A railroa'cbsignal including a carriage provided at opposite sides with flanges adapted to engage'the sides of a rail for retaining the carriage thereon, said carriage being provided with a front tapered supporting portion adapted to receive a torpedo5 spaced supports provided with open ings adapted to receive'a rocket, said supports being also provided with prongs or projections arranged to engage the body of the rocket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DENIS R. SULLIVAN Witnesses I E. W. HARGETT, J. A. WILFQRD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 0. 

